DAMP Lab Receives $20 Million NSF Award to Advance AI-Driven Cloud Biotechnology

The DAMP Lab at Boston University has received a $20 million award from the National Science Foundation to create a national network of 20 “cloud laboratories” across the United States. The network will allow researchers to remotely request and run experiments that require specialized equipment or expertise. As one of the network's biotechnology-focused lab, the DAMP Lab will support research in areas including genetic engineering, biosensor development, and high-throughput workflows.

The four-year award will expand the DAMP Lab's cloud lab infrastructure and automation capabilities while connecting it with partner labs across the country. DAMP already enables researchers to remotely commission and lead biological experiments using high-speed liquid handling robots and other automated systems, and has supported work ranging from biosensors and protein research to studies of plant-bacterial interactions.

A major goal of the project is to make experiments easier to request and run using AI and automation. The DAMP team will develop tools that translate researchers' experiment descriptions into instructions for laboratory equipment, while also helping coordinate scheduling and workflows. By connecting specialized labs through a standardized system, the network aims to make advanced biotechnology research more accessible and accelerate scientific discovery.